Lake County Commissioners recognize acting judge (with video)

By
John Arthur Hutchison, The News-Herald

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Lake County commissioners expressed their appreciation Tuesday to Lake County Acting Probate Court Judge R.R. Denny Clunk for his service on the bench for the past six months.
Clunk, a retired Stark County Probate Court judge, was assigned in March by the Ohio Supreme Court to the bench after Judge Ted Klammer died.
Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Bartolotta of Concord Township was appointed Friday by Gov. John Kasich to serve as the new Lake County Probate Court judge and he begins Monday.
Commissioners presented Clunk with a certificate of appreciation and gave him a Lake County flag Tuesday during their weekly meeting in Painesville.
“The Board of Lake County Commissioners on behalf of the citizens of Lake County wishes to express its sincerest gratitude to R.R. Denny Clunk for his dedicated and professional service as acting judge of Lake County Probate Court from March 2013 to Sept. 2013,” Commissioner Daniel P. Troy said.
“We and all the citizens of Lake County thank him and wish him well on all his future journeys and endeavors.”
Clunk, who retired in 2003, said he has served as an acting judge for three courts that experienced the death of a sitting judge.
He said his time in Lake County was a bit more lengthy than the others where he served about three months each.
“It’s been a labor of love, really it has. I’ve enjoyed myself,” Clunk said.
He commended the commissioners to help accommodate any needs the Probate Court had and called the facility the finest of the 22 Northeast Ohio probate courts that he has been in.
“The maintenance department has been wonderful,” Clunk said. “I know there was some disagreement between my predecessor and the commissioners, but we resolved that and it should be resolved. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.”
As the law permits, Clunk plans to finish up hearing a few cases of which he already has conducted pretrials.
“I have a will contest and some other significant cases so I’ll come back Lord willing,” he said.Watch as commissioners honor Judge R.R. Denny Clunk here.